Praise for clean-up workers

AS THE storm clean-up started on the Northern Rivers on Saturday, SES crews in Ballina were kept particularly busy clearing fallen trees and fixing damaged roofs.

Ballina SES team leader, Sam Marriott said they had hoped to finish off most jobs by last night.

Ballina Shire Council workers were also flat out with the clean-up efforts.

Two cranes arrived at Fawcett Park on Saturday morning to start the job of removing the roof of the council-owned Pelican 181 restaurant, which was extensively damaged in Friday's storm.

The water supply was restored to Lennox Head on Saturday afternoon.

Staff then focused their efforts on the water services at Uralba and Pimlico.

The council has advised residents in the Lennox Head area that low pressure in the water system may still continue but, if it is not resolved by today, further action may need to be taken.

To help residents with the clean-up, the council is offering residents free green waste drop-offs at the tip.

Ballina Mayor David Wright said it was difficult to estimate at this stage how much the clean-up would cost.

"We are still cleaning up from the last storm three weeks ago," Cr Wright said.

"But I have to say, I am just so impressed with the work being done by the SES, the council workers and Essential Energy. I have so much respect for them."

In Lismore the Wilsons River had peaked at 8.18m by yesterday morning and was falling to minor flooding yesterday; the Richmond River at Bungawalbyn was approaching major flood level yesterday and at Coraki the river was expected to peak near 5.5 metres with moderate flooding .

There's more rain on the way, however, with an estimated 150mm expected in the next few days.